Barbaresco
Barbaresco, seen as the more elegant counterpart of Barolo, spreads over 763 ha under vines (a third of Barolo’s ha), and is divided into four communes.
The Nebbiolo grape is said to ripen earlier here because of the gentler altitude – up to 450 metres – and the proximity to the Tanaro river. The legal guidelines for ageing reflect this, requiring only 26 months minimum of ageing for Barbaresco compared to 38 months for Barolo. Along with altitude, soil variations are another reason for their flavour differences: Barolo and Barbaresco are both limestone-based soils, but Barbaresco's soil is comparatively younger. Stylistically, Barbaresco is often described as a more elegant version of Barolo but, like its neighbour, its wines can come in a diverse spectrum of styles and are never without energy and power.
Barbaresco
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(6x75cl) 2014Vinous (94)
Cecilia Monte's 2014 Barbaresco Serracapelli is a wine of pure and total refinement. Lifted and gracious on the palate, the 2014 is wonderfully energetic from start to finish. Beams of supporting acidity and tannin give the wine a nervous, edgy feel that will soften with bottle age. Orange peel, exotic spice, tobacco, cedar and amaro herbs add an intriguing upper register of aromatics to this mid-weight, classically proportioned Barbaresco. Cecilia Monte's Barbaresco Serracapelli is one of the dark horses of the vintage.HK$3,400.00 -
Vinous (92)
The 2016 Barbaresco Serracapelli is soft, super-expressive and so inviting. Wild cherry, tobacco, cedar, mint and dried flowers show off the darker side of Nebbiolo. There is a bit of nerve to this classically built Barbaresco, so some aeration is a good idea.HK$2,850.00 -
Vinous (95)
The 2013 Barbaresco Serracapelli Dedicato a Paolo emerges from the estate's oldest vines, planted in 1956. Deep and sensual, with striking layers of nuance, the 2013 hits all the right notes. Readers will find a lifted, savory, intensely mineral Barbaresco built on persistence and energy. Tobacco, worn-in leather, spice, menthol and crushed rose petal add myriad shades of complexity. The 2013 can be enjoyed now, but it also has enough pedigree to drink well for another decade.HK$1,795.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2015 Barbaresco Serracapelli Dedicato a Paolo is a very pretty, high-toned wine. Blood orange, rose petal, mint, anise, pine and cinnamon all grace this ethereal, mid-weight Barbaresco. The 2015 is deceptive and gracious, but it has a good bit of energy and Nebbiolo grip backing it all up. This quirky Barbaresco is a total delight.HK$2,955.00 -
HK$3,780.00 -
James Suckling (93)
Aromas of plums, oranges and cedar follow through to a full body with soft and velvety tannins. A juicy and luscious finish. Made from organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.HK$2,220.00 -
Wine Advocate (93)
Ceretto's classic 2017 Barbaresco opens quickly and nicely in the glass. That playful accessibility is a trait that I found in many of the Barbarescos from this vintage. Compared to the two vineyard-specific expressions (Asili from Barbaresco and Bernadot from Treiso), this wine offers broad brush strokes of wild berry, spice, licorice and iron ore. That's exactly the mission of this wine: It provides an authentic portrait of a grape. Fruit represents a blend from various sites, including young vines from Asili and the lower parts of Bernadot. This wine is poised for near and medium-term drinking.HK$3,065.00 -
Vinous (89)
The 2018 Barbaresco is a very pretty, ethereal wine to drink now and over the next handful of years. Crushed flowers, spice, tobacco, cedar and mint are all laced together in this super-classy Barbaresco. The 2018 is gorgeous today and will drink well for another decade.HK$2,870.00 -
The Wine Independent (95)
This 2019 Ceretto Barbaresco has a beautiful, seductively complex nose, with some hints of smoke, ash, orange peel, cream and oak spice. A dense and intense nose is followed by a beautifully textured, harmonious palate with integrated tannins which are very subtle and fine in nature. This wine manages to combine firmness and drive with plenty of seductive charm. It's a nervy, edgy style which I love.HK$3,060.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2014 Barbaresco Bernardot has shut down since I last tasted it about nine months ago. The breadth that is typical of this Treiso site comes through, but the 2014 is quite reluctant today. Hints of smoke, licorice, underbrush and a host of balsamic notes infuse the resonant finish. Time in the glass brings out the wine's pliant side, but readers should plan on cellaring the 2014 for at least a few years. Readers will have to be patient.HK$4,655.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2015 Barbaresco Bernardot is laced with sweet red cherry, kirsch, mint, cinnamon and wild berry. The natural ripeness of 2015 makes the Bernardot easy to drink young, even if there is a good bit of tannin that could use more time in bottle to soften. Here, too, the current Ceretto style that emphasizes mid-weight structure is quite apparent. Time in the glass brings out the more virile side of Barbaresco in a wine that expresses the myriads shades of contrast that make Nebbiolo such a fascinating grape.HK$4,325.00 -
Wine Advocate (94+)
This is a beautiful creation from a vintage that threw quite a few challenges at vintners elsewhere in Italy and here in Piedmont. The Ceretto 2017 Barbaresco Bernadot plays up its elegance and its graceful personality. With fruit from an organic and biodynamic 4.8-hectare site in Treiso, planted high at 400 meters above sea, this pretty Barbaresco reveals very specific aromas of wild berry, light spice, licorice and iron rust. These aromas are essential components of the classic Nebbiolo playlist, as is the lightweight, silky texture of this wine. The Bernadot is natural and effortless (aged in mostly neutral oak).HK$4,210.00 -
Vinous (92)
The 2018 Barbaresco Bernardot comes across as relatively quiet in this vintage, but that is the personality of the year. There is good depth and creaminess, and yet the volume is very much dialed down. Dark cherry, spice, leather and mint build into the understated finish.HK$4,180.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2019 Barbaresco Bernardot is dark, fleshy and wonderfully nuanced. Soft contours and silky tannins give the 2019 its racy, super-inviting personality. The Bernardot is usually a potent Barbaresco, but in 2019 it is all finesse, all the way. Rose petal, mint, dried cherry and cinnamon linger in this super-expressive Barbaresco from the Ceretto family.HK$4,465.00 -
HK$3,950.00 -
(6x75cl) 2021Wine Advocate (95)
With organic fruit from Neive, the Ceretto 2021 Barbaresco Gallina has a strong floral signature that recalls lilac or heritage rose. The bouquet is also accented by spicy notes of crushed white peppercorn and cumin. These give extra intensity and focus to this elegant Nebbiolo. It ages in French oak for one year, followed by an additional 12 months in 300-liter oak barrel.HK$7,290.00 -
Wine Advocate (89)
The aromatically complex, medium to full-bodied, dark garnet-colored 1998 Barbaresco Bricco Asili-Bricco Asili offers intense aromas of soy, black cherries, tobacco, spice box, licorice, and incense. With ripe but noticeable tannin and excellent length, this potentially outstanding Barolo needs several more years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2014.HK$4,625.00 -
Vinous (92)
: Bright medium red. Redcurrant, minerals, graphite, licorice and tobacco on the nose. A step up in depth, sweetness and intensity from the Bernadot, with more volume and a serious spine for aging. This mounts nicely on the back end and finishes with very good flavor impact and energy.HK$4,750.00 -
Vinous (85)
Ceretto's 2013 Barbaresco Asili is marked by a high level of volatile acidity that totally masks the fruit. This is a perplexing wine that I have a hard time reconciling with the Ceretto style.HK$13,220.00 -
Vinous (95+)
Ceretto's 2016 Barbaresco Asili is another stunningly beautiful wine from Ceretto. Here, too, the wine's energy and tension are simply dazzling. Bright red cherry fruit and floral overtones abound in this taut, crystalline Barbaresco. Readers will have to be patient with the 2016, but it is a jewel of a wine. Deceptively in its mid-weight structure, the 2016 packs a serious punch and really sizzles with vibrancy.HK$8,065.00 -
Wine Advocate (95)
Ceretto enjoys a long and close relationship with the Asili cru of Barbaresco. The winery has chosen to fermented these grapes apart since the early 1970s. Their 2017 Barbaresco Asili brings you close to a sense of place. Fruit comes from a 1.3-hectare site with classic Sant'Agata marl soils. Beyond the dark fruit, much of the bouquet recalls crushed stone and iron rust, with other territory-specific aromas that are characteristic of Nebbiolo in its most naked state. You feel a touch of earthiness too, thanks to those slightly looser, open-knit tannins. Shaved truffle, dried blackberry and pressed rose seal the deal.HK$9,615.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2018 Barbaresco Asili presents terrific energy and verve. Crushed red berry fruit, rose petal, mint, blood orange, dried flowers and incense are beautifully delineated throughout. In 2018, the Asili is wonderfully translucent and classy. I can't wait to see how it ages.HK$6,510.00 -
Vinous (95)
The 2019 Barbaresco Asili is ample, creamy and resonant. All the signatures of this site come through in a Barbaresco of breadth and resonance. Even so, the 2019 remains light on its feet. There is plenty of depth and persistence, but it is expressed in more of an understated manner. It's a beautiful wine.HK$5,900.00 -
(6x75cl) 2021Wine Advocate (97)
Made with organic fruit from a vineyard that has been in production since the mid-1970s, the Ceretto 2021 Barbaresco Asili shows very pretty floral tones of lilac, lavender and violet. Those are followed by bright tones of tart cassis and red berry. Everything about the wine feels fine, elegant and tight. This vintage offers a superior quality of fruit, and the wine closes with balanced acidity and silky tannins. It ages in French oak for 12 months with an additional 12 months in 300-liter neutral barrel.HK$9,545.00 -
(6x75cl) 2018Savour the distinguished Falesco Montiano Lazio 2018, a sublime symphony culminating from the fruitful vineyards of Lazio, Italy. This illustrious liquid ruby is the brainchild of the acclaimed Falesco winery, known for its ceaseless commitment to quality. Brought to life by the masterful Maria and Martino Kotysz, their expertise in viticulture and enology produces renowned Vini d’Italia.
This merlot marvel blooms from hand-harvested grapes from single-vineyard sites, before undergoing fermentation in small oak barrels. The process ensures a remarkable complexity, paired with a captivating depth of flavour. This full-bodied vintage, boasting 14% alcohol, showcases rich, succulent red fruits, harmoniously balanced with velvety tannins and resonant oak undernotes.
Aged for 12 months in French barrels, the Falesco Montiano Lazio 2018 is replete with a lavish, lingering finish, making it an ideal complement to savoury dishes. This regal wine is the embodiment of Italian viticulture, curated to perfection. Make the Falesco Montiano Lazio 2018 your prestigious partner for prestigious occasions.
HK$4,120.00 -
James Suckling (99)
This is an incredible wine that reminds me of the perfect 2000 Barolo Rocche de Falletto. Flowers, spices, leather and animals. Decadent. Dried mushrooms. Then changes to Japanese ginger and lemon peel. Full-bodied but refined and so long. It has layers of fruit and power. So refined. Ripe and intense. Perfect balance and harmony. It will be released in 2016.HK$13,505.00 -
Wine Advocate (91)
The Fattoria le Pupille 2020 Poggio Argentato is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Petit Manseng, Traminer and Semillon, and the percentage of Sauvignon Blanc in this vintage was raised from 60% of the blend to 70%. This slight adjustment makes a big impact on the wine's perfumes, especially in a hot vintage such as this. Cold temperatures during pressing and the use of stainless steel helps to lock in tropical aromas, minty apple and crushed limestone. The Petit Manseng helps to give more vertical lift to the bouquet. Average annual production for this wine is about 40,000 bottles, but this vintage came in about 8,000 bottles short.HK$1,780.00 -
Wine Enthusiast (95)
Lovely aromas of violet, iris and perfumed berry lift out of the glass. Firmly structured and focused, the linear palate shows refinement and finesse, with taut, refined tannins framing juicy red cherry, strawberry compote and star anise. Fresh acidity keeps it vibrant and balanced. Best 2029-2039HK$1,215.00 -
Introducing the exceptional Fontanabianca Barbaresco Bordini 2017. Skilfully crafted in the renowned Barbaresco region of Italy, this noteworthy wine is a true showcase of finesse and pedigree, produced by the esteemed Fontanabianca winery. Grown in the privileged Bordini vineyard, the high-quality Nebbiolo grapes yield a powerfully structured yet harmoniously balanced wine. Aged for 26 months in French oak barrels, the Bordinic displays a seductive bouquet of ripe red fruit intertwined with subtle notes of oriental spices, hinting at the complexity on the palate. Elegant tannins underpin flavours of wild berries, dried rose and liquorice, unveiling layer after layer in a long-lasting and satisfying finish. Due to its exceptional character, it stands superbly on its own, while also harmonising beautifully with hearty meat dishes. The Fontanabianca Barbaresco Bordini 2017 is a great asset to any fine wine collection, promising pleasure for those fortunate enough to savour it.
HK$2,060.00 -
Wine Enthusiast (96)
Truffle, camphor violet and ripe berry aromas come together on this fragrant red. Full-bodied and full of flavor, the delicious palate doles out juicy Morello cherry, raspberry compote, baking spice and star anise while firm, refined tannins provide support. Bright acidity keeps it balanced. Drink 2027–2039.HK$845.00
